The speed limit along most parts of the highway between Fort Macleod and Morinville is 110 km/h (70 mph) and in urban areas, such as through Claresholm, Nanton, Calgary and Edmonton, it ranges from 50 km/h to 100 km/h. During the winter time, accidents are common as the weather changes rapidly, and drivers underestimate the conditions.

A review of historical Alberta official road maps shows that Highway 2 was numbered Highway 1 prior to 1941 (while the current Highway 1 was Highway 2 at the time).[2]

As the main north-south access in Alberta, Highway 2 is the preferred path of the CANAMEX Corridor.[3] Between Fort Macleod and Edmonton, Highway 2 maintains no fewer than four lanes of traffic and is largely a controlled-access freeway between Okotoks and Edmonton, with improvements underway to eliminate remaining at-grade crossings.

North of Okotoks, the three northbound lanes of the highway split into Macleod Trail (Highway 2A) and Deerfoot Trail, which keeps the Highway 2 designation through Calgary. It passes immediately west of the Calgary International Airport before continuing north to the City of Airdrie, which is bisected by Highway 2, while a number of other smaller communities such as Crossfield are bypassed. The newer Highway 2 is built east of the communities and the old route has become Highway 2A.

Red Deer is also primarily bypassed. Gasoline Alley, located at the south end of the city, is a popular stop for travellers headed for Calgary or Edmonton, with several fuel stations and food establishments. Continuing north, the highway again bypasses the smaller communities, this time to the west. Leduc, south of Edmonton, is bisected like Airdrie; however, this has been a result of westward growth of the community. The highway also passes immediately east of Edmonton International Airport, about 15 km south of Edmonton.

At Crossfield, two-laned Highway 2A in the foreground with divided Highway 2 in the distance.

When the highway enters Edmonton, it becomes Gateway Boulevard (northbound; it is Calgary Trail in the opposite direction), then Whitemud Drive to the southwest part of the city. It then shares roadbeds with Anthony Henday Drive (Highway 216) and Yellowhead Trail (Highway 16) before heading north again along St. Albert Trail as it exits Edmonton and passes northwest through St. Albert. (Future extension of Ray Gibbon Drive in the northwest Edmonton region will bypass St. Albert from Anthony Henday Drive to Highway 2 north.)

After leaving St. Albert, the highway is twinned until it reaches north of Morinville and after that it is a 2-lane road for almost the rest of the stretch. Highway 2 continues north until it reaches a T-junction with Highway 18. From there, the route turns east towards Clyde and then follows a northeasterly direction to Athabasca before turning northwest towards Slave Lake. The road continues west, following along the scenic southern shores of Lesser Slave Lake until it reaches High Prairie. West of High Prairie, the highway then turns north to McLennan and west until it reaches a junction with Highway 49 (locally known as 'Donnelly Corner'). The stretch of Highway 2 between Athabasca and Highway 49 is part of the Northern Woods and Water Route.[4][5]